Improve living conditions through the Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme

This course covers the methodology for slum upgrading developed through the PSUP. The modules present the international frameworks such as the SDGs and the NUA guiding slum upgrading and introduces the topic of slum upgrading linked to urban development challenges. Furthermore, the module provides information on the approach to slum upgrading integrating UN-Habitat's guiding principles for slum upgrading, the crosscutting issues (Gender, Human Rights and Climate Change) and the importance of a participatory approach for successful and sustainable slum upgrading.  Principles for participatory slum upgrading are overarching and relevant to all stakeholders at all levels: global, national, city and community level, to ensure effective participation and impactful and sustainable interventions.

Building urban climate resilience through Ecosystem-based Adaptation

This course introduces you to the concept of Ecosystem-based Adaptation, and guides you in the planning and implementation of Ecosystem-based Adaptation projects. This will help your city to implement local climate action, contributing to achieving the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The course is intended for local and national government staff, and local stakeholders working with urban development, including NGOs, CBOs, the private sector, as well as employees in the United Nations and other international organizations, as well as anyone who wants to find out more about Ecosystem-based Adaptation at the local level.

Start date: Whenever you want. This is a self-paced course.
Duration: About 2 hours.
Fees: None

How to guide sustainable urbanization with National Urban Policies

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National Urban Policies (NUP) have increasingly been adopted by countries in enhancing sustainable urban development and the achievement of the global agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda (NUA). NUP was selected as one of the ten thematic policy units affirming the instrumental nature of the NUA in preparation of Habitat III. The NUA puts emphasis on NUP as one of the five pillars of implementation and encourages the need for capacity of the governments to develop and implement these policies. NUP have been proposed to be used as monitoring tools for the SDGs through indicator 11.a.1.

The course takes about 2 hours to complete.


The objective of this course is to understand:

  • What NUP is and its role towards sustainable urbanization
  • The NUP process and how it is conducted in practice
  • How to conduct the NUP assessment/review
  • How NUP relates to other sectors

Executive Course on Housing Policy Development and Implementation

This course is accessible with an enrollment key given exclusively by invitation.

This course will provide you with the necessary skills to develop housing policy for your local areas, within the overall framework of your country’s national polices and plans. This has been developed by UN-Habitat in partnership with the Eastern Regional Organisation for Planning and Human Settlements (EAROPH).

This course, targeting the Asia Pacific region specifically, is primarily designed to assist leaders and officials in national, state and local governments to develop local policies that align with national objectives, and to guide implementation in a way that is appropriate for local conditions.

Start: Self-paced course
Duration: ~12 hours (2 hours per module)
Fees: None
Certificate: Yes, upon completion of all modules and passing the quizzes